U.S. patent number 6,363,531 [Application Number 09/793,292] was granted by the patent office on 2002-04-02 for waterproof relief outlet in wader.
Invention is credited to Michael P. Quinn.
United States Patent |
6,363,531 |
Quinn |
April 2, 2002 |
Waterproof relief outlet in wader
Abstract
A waterproof relief outlet in a chest wader consisting of a
zipper having a zipper portion capable of movement from a closed
position to an open position, wherein the zipper prevents water
from entering the interior of the chest wader when the zipper
portion is in said closed position. The wearer of the chest wader
thereby has a way for relieving himself without having to
substantially remove the waders and/or any undergarments. Further,
this is accomplished in a highly simplified manner, wherein the
wearer need only to grab a tab coupled to a slide fastener of the
zipper portion in order to move the zipper portion from the closed
position to the open position.
Inventors: |
Quinn; Michael P. (Traverse
City, MI) |
Family
ID: |
25159581 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/793,292 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/82; 2/227;
2/79 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D
13/012 (20130101); A44B 19/32 (20130101); A41D
27/202 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A44B
19/24 (20060101); A44B 19/32 (20060101); A41D
13/012 (20060101); A41D 013/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/2.15-2.17,69,79,81.82,227,242,234 ;36/4,2R,1.5,2B,109
;24/381,382,384-390,432 ;441/126,145 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hale; Gloria M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Artz; John S.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A waterproof relief outlet in a chest wader comprising:
a vertical slit cut into a front portion of the chest wader at a
position in the vicinity of a wader crotch; and
a non-corrosive zipper having a non-corrosive zipper portion
coupled to and surrounded by a waterproof outer cloth portion,
which is coupled to an interior surface of the chest wader around
said vertical slit such that said non-corrosive zipper portion is
exposed externally through said vertical slit, said non-corrosive
zipper portion being moveable between a closed position and an open
position;
wherein said non-corrosive zipper portion is internally exposed to
a wearer's undergarments when in said closed position and wherein
said non-corrosive zipper portion prevents water from entering the
interior of the chest wader through said non-corrosive zipper
portion to a wearer's underclothing when said non-corrosive zipper
portion is in said closed position.
2. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 1, wherein said
non-corrosive zipper portion is selected from the group consisting
of a non-corrosive plastic zipper portion and a non-corrosive metal
zipper portion.
3. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 1, further comprising:
a flap coupled to an exterior portion of the chest wader, wherein
said flap substantially covers said non-corrosive zipper
portion.
4. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 1, wherein said
non-corrosive zipper portion has a slide fastener, a first set of
outer teeth, a second set of outer teeth, a first set of inner
teeth, and a second set of inner teeth, wherein said first set of
outer teeth are separated from said first set of inner teeth by a
first cloth portion and said second set of outer teeth are
separated from said second set of inner teeth by a second cloth
portion.
5. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 4, wherein the movement of
said slide fastener from said open position to said closed position
causes said first set of inner teeth to intermesh with said second
set of inner teeth to substantially seal said zipper portion,
thereby preventing seepage of water to an interior portion of said
chest wader through said zipper portion.
6. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 4 further comprising:
a first tab coupled to said slide fastener, wherein said first tab
is capable of moving said slide fastener from said closed position
to said open position and from said open position to said closed
position.
7. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 6 further comprising:
a second tab coupled to said slide fastener, wherein said first tab
is positioned along an exterior side of the chest wader and said
second tab is positioned within an interior side of the chest
wader, wherein said first tab and said second tab are separately
capable of moving said slide fastener from said closed position to
said open position and from said open position to said closed
position.
8. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 1, wherein said waterproof
outer cloth portion is sealed to said interior surface of the chest
wader using a waterproof sealing material, wherein said waterproof
sealing material prevents water from entering the inside of the
chest wader between said non-corrosive zipper and interior
surface.
9. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 8, wherein said waterproof
sealing material comprises neoprene cement.
10. A method for making a chest wader having a relief outlet, the
method comprising:
forming a vertical slit in a chest wader;
coupling a waterproof, non-corrosive zipper having a cloth portion
and a zipper portion to the chest wader such that said zipper
portion is exposed through said vertical slit and is exposed to an
interior portion of the chest wader, said zipper portion being
capable of moving between an open position and a closed position,
wherein said closed position prevents leakage of water to the
interior of the chest wader and to a wearer's underclothing through
said zipper portion; and
sealing said cloth portion of said waterproof, non-corrosive zipper
to an interior surface of the chest wader to prevent leakage of
water from the exterior of the chest wader to the interior of the
chest wader between said cloth portion and said interior surface in
said closed position.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of sealing said cloth
portion comprises sealing said cloth portion of said waterproof,
non-corrosive zipper to said interior surface using a waterproof
sealing material.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of sealing said cloth
portion of said waterproof, non-corrosive zipper to said interior
surface using a waterproof sealing material comprises sealing said
cloth portion of said waterproof, non-corrosive zipper to said
interior surface using a neoprene cement.
13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
coupling a flap to the exterior of the chest wader, wherein said
flap substantially covers said waterproof, non-corrosive
zipper.
14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
coupling a first tab to a slide fastener on said zipper
portion.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
coupling a second tab to said slide fastener, wherein said first
tab is located along an exterior side of the chest wader and said
second tab is located along an interior side of the chest
wader.
16. A waterproof relief outlet in a chest wader comprising:
a vertical slit cut in a front portion of the chest wader at a
position in the vicinity of a wader crotch;
a non-corrosive zipper coupled to and surrounded by an outer cloth
portion, wherein said outer cloth portion is coupled to an interior
surface of the chest wader around said vertical slit such that said
non-corrosive zipper is exposed to the exterior through said
vertical slit, wherein said non-corrosive zipper portion is capable
of movement from a closed position to an open position, wherein
said non-corrosive zipper is in communication with a wearer's
undergarments when in said closed position and wherein said
non-corrosive zipper portion prevents water from entering the
interior of the chest wader when said non-corrosive zipper portion
is in said closed position; and
a flap coupled to an exterior portion of the chest wader, said flap
substantially covering said non-corrosive zipper.
17. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 16, wherein said
non-corrosive zipper portion is selected from the group consisting
of a non-corrosive plastic zipper portion and a non-corrosive metal
zipper portion.
18. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 16, wherein said
non-corrosive zipper portion has a slide fastener, a first set of
outer teeth, a second set of outer teeth, a first set of inner
teeth, and a second set of inner teeth, wherein said first set of
outer teeth are separated from said first set of inner teeth by a
first cloth portion and said second set of outer teeth are
separated from said second set of inner teeth by a second cloth
portion.
19. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 18, wherein the movement
of said slide fastener from said open position to said closed
position causes said first set of inner teeth to intermesh with
said second set of inner teeth to substantially seal said zipper
portion, thereby preventing seepage of water to an interior portion
of said chest wader through said zipper portion.
20. The waterproof relief outlet of claim 18 further comprising a
first tab coupled to said slide fastener, wherein said first tab is
capable of moving said slide fastener from said closed position to
said open position and from said open position to said closed
position.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to waders and more
particularly to a wader having a waterproof relief outlet formed
therein.
BACKGROUND
Waders are sportswear that are used by individuals to protect
against water penetration while fishing, duck hunting, or otherwise
working in a stream or lake. Waders are rubbers boots that are
stepped into and pulled up to the chest of the person. Typically,
waders are held up by suspenders or some other type of device to
maintain the top of the wader above the level of the water.
One problem with currently available waders is that they typically
do not provide an easily accessible relief outlet. Therefore, a
person wearing waders must remove the waders, or at least lower the
waders below their waist, in order to relieve himself.
One proposed solution to the relief outlet problem was presented in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,159 to Schmidt, in which a waterproof relief
outlet having a folded funnel within the chest wader is disclosed.
In this patent, a wearer of the chest wader can relieve himself by
unlocking the interlocking tongue and then extending a funnel or
sleeve through the interlocking tongue. The funnel itself is sealed
to the inner surface of the chest wader. When stored, the funnel
must be folded in order to ensure it fitting within its allotted
space. However, this invention is complicated to use, requiring
many steps for an individual to do before being able to relieve his
pressure. This problem is exacerbated when a wearer's hands are
gloved or not easily manipulated do to cold temperatures. Further,
the interlocking tongue is not waterproof; it requires a cover to
ensure that water does not leak into the interior of the wader when
the funnel housing is held in a closed position.
Accordingly, there is a long felt need to provide an improved wader
having a simplified waterproof relief outlet that prevents ingress
of water into the waders not heretofore attainable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
wader having an easily accessible waterproof relief outlet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the above and the other objects of the present
invention, a simplified waterproof relief outlet in a chest wader
is provided. The wader has a zipper secured to a center seam
therein. The zipper, in its closed position, is completely
waterproof and is enclosed at both ends without any additional
steps. A wearer of the chest wader can relieve pressure by simply
unzipping the wader.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent upon considering the following detailed description and
appended claims, and upon reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of the wader according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the zipper of FIG. 1 in a closed
position;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the zipper of FIG. 1 in an open
position;
FIG. 4 is a illustration of the zipper of of FIG. 2 taken along
line 4--4;
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the zipper of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the zipper of FIG. 3 taken along line
6--6;
FIG. 7 is an interior view of the zipper of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 8 is a front view of the wader illustrating a zipper in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
Referring now to FIG. 1, a water resistant chest wader 10 in
accordance with the present invention is depicted. The chest wader
10 has a belt 17 for cinching around a wearer to assist in fitting
the wader and holding it up thereby preventing leakage. The wader
material is preferably a rubber material such as neoprene. A pair
of suspenders (not shown) may be used in addition to or in place of
the belt 17. The wader 10 also has a waterproof zipper 14 formed
therein. The waterproof zipper 14 is located in the vicinity of the
wader crotch and consists of a zipper portion 14a and a cloth
portion 16. A wearer of the chest wader 10 can relieve pressure by
simply pulling a tab 18 of the slide fastener 19 of the zipper
portion 14a downward to unlock the zipper portion 14a from a closed
position, as shown in FIG. 2, to an open position, as shown in FIG.
3. As seen in FIG. 3, a vertical slit 12 is exposed when the zipper
portion 14a is opened. After the user has relieved himself, the
slide fastener 19 is simply pulled upward to return the zipper
portion 14a to the closed position. The tab 18 is typically made of
leather or some type of grippable, mostly water resistant material
and may be coupled to the slide fastener 19 in a wide variety of
method which are known in the art.
As seen in FIG. 4, the cloth material 16 is sealed around the
vertical slit 12 to the inner portion 22 of the wader 10 such that
the zipper portion 14a extends through the vertical slit 12. This
allows the zipper portion 14a to be accessed from the exterior of
the wader. Preferably, the cloth material 16 is a water resistant
material and is secured to the inner portion 22 of the wader 10
using a waterproof sealing material 24 such as neoprene cement to
prevent water from penetrating the interior of the wader through
the sealing material 24.
As best seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the zipper portion 14a consists
of a set of interlocking inner teeth 30a, 30b separated from two
sets of outer teeth 32a, 32b by a portion of the cloth material 16.
As the slide fastener 19 is pulled upward and guided across the
inner teeth 30a, 30b and the outer teeth 32a, 32b towards a closed
position, the inner teeth 30a, 30b are interlocked to substantially
seal. When the zipper portion 14a is in the closed position,
signified when all of the inner teeth 32a, 32b are interlocked and
the fastener 19 is at its uppermost position, water is not able to
penetrate through any portion of the zipper 14 to the interior of
the wader 10, thereby protecting a wearer's undergarments and body
from water exposure.
Preferably, the inner teeth 30a, 30b and the outer teeth 32a, 32b
of the zipper portion 14a are constructed of a material that is
corrosion resistant and easy to manipulate from an open to a closed
position. For example, the inner teeth 30a, 30b and the outer teeth
32a, 32b can be composed of plastic, a corrosion resistant metal or
alloy, or stainless steel.
As shown in FIG. 7, the zipper portion 14a may have a second tab 28
accessible from the interior of the wader 10. This would allow the
zipper portion 14a to be opened from the exterior or interior using
either the tab 18 or 28. It is specifically contemplated that other
preferred embodiments of the chest wader 10 may have only an
exterior tab 18, or only an interior tab 28, and still fall within
the scope of the present invention.
In an alternative arrangement, as shown in FIG. 8, a flap 20 may
extend over a portion of the zipper 14 and the tab 18. The flap 20
functions to minimize water from being exposed to the zipper 14 and
the tab 18. The flap 20 is typically comprised of the same
waterproof material as the wader 10. This is useful in keeping the
tab 18 dry for ease of use.
The chest wader 10 having the zipper 14 is easily manufactured. The
chest wader 10 may be manufactured having a vertical slit 12, or
the vertical slit 12 may be cut into the chest wader 10 by
techniques that are well known in the art. The zipper 14 is then
attached to the inner portion 22 of the wader 10 by applying the
waterproof sealing material 24 to the cloth portion 16, pressing
the cloth portion 16 to the inner portion 22, and drying the
sealing material 24 between the cloth portion 16 and the inner
portion 22 for a period of time sufficient to permanently seal the
zipper 14 to the wader 10. In addition, the flap 20 may be added
during the initial manufacture of the wader 10 or in a
postproduction step by techniques that are well known in the art.
As stated above, this flap 20 may be of the same material as the
chest wader 10 or some other kind of waterproof material.
The present invention provides the wearer of a chest wader 10 with
a means for relieving himself without having to substantially
remove the waders and/or any undergarments. Further, this is
accomplished in a highly simplified manner, wherein the wearer
would only need to be able to grab the tab 18 of the zipper portion
14a in order to move the slide fastener 19 from the closed position
to the open position. Finally, the zipper portion 14a itself is
fully waterproof in the closed position, thereby protecting the
wearer and his underclothing from water.
While the above invention is described for use in a chest wader 10,
it is contemplated that the device may be used in many different
kinds of water-related outerwear. For example, the zipper 14 could
be incorporated into a wetsuit.
While the invention has been described in terms of preferred
embodiments, it will be understood, of course, that the invention
is not limited thereto since modifications may be made by those
skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing
teachings.
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